Vacuum tank for internal-combustion engines



' Eeb.i .13, 1923.

H; B. cons. VACUUM TANK FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

HLED JULY1-5hl92l- Tzg. 2

INVENTOR.

' HEN/$2 B. COHTS. 39M

A TTORNEYS.

' danger.

Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

HENRY B. COATS, OF VEEDEBSBURG, INDIANA.

VACUUM TANK FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed July 15,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. Coirrs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Veedcrsburg, county of Fountain, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Vacuum Tank for InternaLCombustion Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to a vacuum tank for motor vehicles and the like, wherein the fuel reservoir is located at a distance from the internal combustion engine, to be sup plied with fuel, and at a lower elevation. The purpose of the vacuumtank is to maintain an auxiliary supply of fuel to be fed to the engine by gravity, the vacuum tank to be supplied by the suction created therein by the intake of the engine. With respect to this invention, reference should be had to my application Serial No. 471,831, filed ay 23, 1921 for vacuum tank.

The principal object of this invention is to prevent the liquid fuel contained in the vacuum tank from entering the suction pipe connected with the engine, whereby raw fuel might be sucked into the engine. Where the vehicle carrying the tank is on a steep incline, or the vibration and jolting causes the liquid contained in the vacuum tank to become agitated and thrownabout, whereby a portion may reach the top, there is danger of it being sucked into the pipe leading into the intake manifold and it is the purpose of this invention to so construct the tank illustrated in my application above referred to, as to eliminate this The full nature of this invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims. e

Fig. 1 is a central vertical'section through the tank showing the valve in position to draw fuel therein by a vacuum. Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 showing a modified form with the valves in position to relieve the vacuum and stop the drawing in of fuel and permit the discharge thereof.

In the drawings there is shown a vacuum tank 10 having a discharge chamber 11 which is intended to be constantly filled with liquid fuel. The chamber communicates with the tube 12 through the passage 1921. Serial No. 484,842.

13 in the bottom thereof, the tube 12 leading directly to the carbureter of the engine for supplying fuel thereto. Suspended within the chamber 11 of the vacuum tank,

there is a vacuum or fuel. receiving chamber 14, tapering at the bottom to an opening 15 which communicates with a horizontal outlet passage 16 having an inclined end adapted to be closed by the flap valve 17. By means of this arrangement the fuel drawn into the vacuum chamber 1 1, by the vacuum created therein. will pass by gravity into the fuel chamber 11, forcing the valve 17 open, for maintaining the fuel supply therein.

Suspended within the vacuumv chamber 14 there is a float chamber 18 secured to the top of the tank 10 and entirely closed at the top excepting for a very slight opening 19. The bottom of the float chamber is provided with an outlet in the form of a siphon tube20 communicating with the lowermost portion of said chamber 18 and extending upwardly adjacent its walls near the top of the tank 10 and then curvingdownwardly so as to discharge immediately above the opening 15 of the tank 14. Positioned in the float chamber there is a float 21 secured to the lower end of the rod 22. The upper end of said rod is provided with a poppet valve head 23 which is tapered and adapted to seat in the tapered air inlet opening 24:

in the top of the tank 10. whereby the valve will be open when the float is slightly elevated. For protecting the valve and limiting the forward movement of the float there is a cap 25 mounted on the top of the tank and enclosing said valve. An air vent or passage 26 communicates with the interior of the cap for permitting access to the atmosphere and preventing the loss of vapor, due to the positioning thereof. There is also a smaller air vent or passage 27 communicating with the fuel chamber 11 and positioned at the top thereof for admitting air into said chamber as the fuel discharges "therefrom to the engine.

Passing through the top of the tank 14 and communicating with the float chamber, there is a tube 28 connecting the intake manifold of the engine. not shown herein, through which the suction of the englne draws the air from the float and vacuum chambers for creating thevacuum therein. Mounted in said tube there is a ball valve 29 for permitting the suction of air therethrough to the manifold, but preventing any return air passing from the manifold to the vacuum chamber. The communication between the tube 28 and the float chamber is positloned as faraway as possible from the opening 19 so that any particles of fluid which may be thrown through the opening 19 will be directed downwardly into the chamber and not sucked into the tube The fuel line 30 leads from the bottom of the main fuel reservoir. not shown, to the to'pof the vacuum tank 10, communit-ating with the vacuum chamber lei. into which the fuel isdrawn by the vacuum creat-iul therein. The fuel line 30 is provided, with a ball valve 31 for preventing the fuel, which may be raised to the highest level in the line, from returning by gravity tothe reservoir, whereby the vacuumtank will not have to draw the fuel into the fuel line each time the engine is started up after being at rest; In operation the motor draws the air from the float chamber 18 and vacuum chainljier 14, through the slight pin hole opening 19 and tube 28 past the valve 2?), the chambers 14 and 18 being closed by the valves 17 and 2 3, drawsthe fuel from the main reservoir through the fuel line 30 past the valve 31. After the fuel partially fills the vacuum chamber 14 it passes from the lower end thereofinto the fuel chamber 11 past the valve, 17 until said chamber is nearly filled. The fuel rises into thevacuum chamber 14: along with the fuel in the chamber 11 until the fuel reaches the top or turning point of thetube 20. It then flows into the float chamber 18 and. quickly raises the float 21 and opens the air vent valve 23, thus permitting air to enter the vacuum chamber. This relieves the vacuum created therein and also permits the engine to continue to draw air through the vacuum chamber but no more fuel will be drawn in until the level lSSili'liOihtlfl lowered to permit the 102th 21 todescendain'l the valve 23 to close. During this time the fuel in'thefuel. line 30 will be n'iaintainell therein by the closing of the valve 31. As the fuel is used by the engine the'level will be lowered, until the fuel contained in the float tank 18 is siphoned out through the siphon tube 20, and the valve 23 closes, when the vacuum" will againv be created sufiiciently to drax'v in more fuel through the fuel line 30 and again raise the level as before.

lt 'will be observed that while the fuel which is contained in the vacuum tank in some ua1'1tity,inay be thrown around therein and agents the top "of the tank, it cannot rea h the tube to be sucked into the enand the small quantity of fuel in the flbat'chainbr will he steadied therein by the relative large size 'of the float 21, and be of such a small q'uaiiti'ty and of such a low level that it will not be able to reach the mouth of the tube 28 regardless of the swishing thereof.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 2 there is provided, at the bottom of the float chamber 18,2111 outlet 32 having a flap valve 53 pivoted thereon so as to permit the passage of the liquid from the float chamber into the vacuum chamber, but prevent the liquid entering the float chamber from the vacuum chamber through said outlet passage. A standpipe 34: is provided for permitting the liquid to entert-he float chamber when it reaches the level of the top of the standpipe, said standpipe communicating with the bottom of said float chamber. With this arrangement when the gasoline reaches the top of the standpipe it. enters the float chamber and causes the valve 23 to be elevated so as to break the vacuumand prevent further suctionof gasolineinto the vacuum chamber. The level of the float chamber reaches the same height as in the vacuum chamber, and as the gasoline is, d .(LWII from the vacuum chamber the level. in the float chamber is lowered with thatin the vacuum chamber through the outlet 32 until the valve 23 is closed by gravity. This permits the valve 23 to be opened only after the liquid level in the vacuum chamber has raised to a pre determined height.

The invention claimed is:

1. A vacuum tank for controlling the supply of liquid fuel to internal combustion engines, including in combination with a vacuum chamber, a float chamber associated with said vacuum chamber having an, open ing near the top thereof, an air valve in said tank, a float contained in said float chamber for actuating said air valve, a suction tube for creating. a vacuum in said vacuum chamber, and a curved siphon tube communicating withthe lowerportiou of said fl oat chamber and extending upwardly above said float in said vacuum chamber and discharging therein.

2: Avacuum tank for-controlling the sup- 15 of liqiii'dfuel to i-nternalfcombnstion engines, including in combination with a vac 1mm chamber, a float chamber mounted in said vacuum chamber having;v a small communicating opening in the topv thereof, an air valve in said tank, a float contained in said float chamber for actuating said air valve,

a suction tube commimifcatin'g with said float chamber for creating a vacuum in said vacuum chamber, and a curved siphon tube communicating with the bottom of said float chamber and extending upwardly abovesaid float in said vacuum chamber and discharging in the lower part of said vacuum "chamber. p

3. A vaci'unn'tank for controlling the supply of liquid fuel to internal combustion engines, including a supply chamber, a vacuum chamber within said. supply chamber, a

float chamber within said vacuum chamber, an air vent communicating with said float chamber, a suction tube communicating with said float chamber a float in said float chamber for actuating said air valve, said float chamber being completely enclosed excepting for a vent hole near the top thereof communicating with said vacuum chamber, and a siphon tube communicating With the bottom of the float chamber and the lower portion of said vacuum chamber, whereby the fluid contained in said tank will be prevented from reaching said suction tube.

4:. A vacuum tank for controlling the supply of liquid fuel to internal combustion engines, including in combination with a vacuum tank having a suction tube communicating with said tank for creating a vac uum therein, an air vent. a float chamber, a

float in said chamber for controlling said air vent for making and breaking the vac uum created in said chamber through which fuel is drawn therein, means in said chamher for preventing the fuel contained therein from being sucked through said vacuum creating suction tube, and. a siphon tube communicating with the bottom of said float chamber and extending upwardly toward the top thereof and downwardly toward the bottom of said vacuum chamber for controlling the fuel level therein.

In witness whereof I have hereunto attfixed my signature.

HENRY B. COATS. 

